Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Victorian Government Schools

Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide information and advice to school staff on responding to any matter relating to historical child sexual abuse with sensitivity, respect, and accountability.

Summary

• Schools must follow this policy and guidance when responding to any matters relating to historical child sexual abuse and contact the department’s Restorative Engagement and Support team for support.
• The Restorative Engagement and Support team is responsible for providing information and support to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools – refer to: Victim-survivor support for former students.
• This team also supports schools to respond to disclosures, reports, queries, or requests relating to historical child sexual abuse from former students, media, or members of the general community.
• The Restorative Engagement and Support team will also advise schools on managing any current child safety risks arising from a disclosure or report of past child sexual abuse.

Details

The department is deeply committed to acknowledging our past failings, to supporting victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools, and to learn from the past to ensure the care and safety of children and young people today and in the future.

For more information about learning from the past refer to the guidance chapter: Acknowledging and learning from the past.

This policy and associated guidance supports schools to:

• respond sensitively and respectfully when engaging with victim-survivors of historical sexual abuse in their school
• respond with transparency and accountability when faced with any matter relating to historical child sexual abuse at their school.

For information on the terms used in this policy and guidance, including the meaning of historical child sexual abuse, refer to the Definitions section below.

Support for schools to respond to historical child sexual abuse

Schools must report any disclosure, report, query or request relating to historical child sexual abuse to the department’s Restorative Engagement and Support team (REST) on:

• Phone: 03 9057 4500
• Email: REST@education.vic.gov.au

The Restorative Engagement and Support team is responsible for providing information and support to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools. For further information on the support available to victim-survivors refer to: Victim-survivor support for former students.

The Restorative Engagement and Support team also supports schools to:

• respond sensitively, respectfully and confidently when engaging with victim-survivors of historical sexual abuse in their school
• respond to a request for a memorial or other form of physical acknowledgement at the school
• respond with transparency and accountability when faced with any matter relating to historical child sexual abuse at their school such as media reporting or current criminal proceedings.

The Restorative Engagement and Support team will refer the school to other parts of the department where required, including Legal Division, Conduct and Integrity Division, and the Knowledge, Privacy and Records Branch.

The Guidance tab provides further information on the above processes. It also provides schools with guidance on how to manage any initial disclosure or report from a former student with sensitivity and respect – refer to Responding to reports from former students of historical sexual abuse.

Managing current child safety risks

The Restorative Engagement and School Support team will advise schools on responding to any current child safety risk that may arise following a disclosure or report of historical child sexual abuse, for example, where the allegations by the former student relate to a staff member who is still working (or was recently working) in a school.

For information about reporting and legal obligations to protect current students at risk of abuse refer to:

• Protecting Children – Reporting and Other Legal Obligations
• Reportable and Notifiable Conduct.

Support for school staff

Some staff may find disclosures or reports of historical child sexual abuse distressing. Current school staff who are impacted by sexual abuse in schools can access the department’s Employee Wellbeing Support Services which provides free and confidential advice to proactively support staff wellbeing, as well as crisis support.

The Restorative Engagement and Support team can provide further advice on supporting impacted school staff.

Definitions

Child sexual abuse
For the purposes of this policy, child sexual abuse refers to any sexual offence against a child, including sexual assault and grooming. A sexual offence against a child can include physical or non-physical sexual activity (including child abuse material), and any form of sexual contact with a child.

Historical child sexual abuse
For the purposes of this policy, historical child sexual abuse is sexual abuse that happened to someone (now an adult) when they were a student. This could mean the abuse happened years or decades ago and may not be remembered or disclosed for many years.

Victim-survivor
Throughout this policy and guidance, we refer to victim-survivors of child sexual abuse. This means a person who identifies as having experienced child sexual abuse. The department acknowledges that victims and survivors have the right to define their identity and some people may not identify with either of these terms.